Aftershock (Teen Titans)
"Aftershock" is a two-part second season finale of Teen Titans, aired on August 14 and 21, 2004 on Cartoon Network. The episode is loosely based on "The Judas Contract" story arc of The New Teen Titans, however some parts have been changed. The episodes recieved mostly positive reviews from critics and fans. The episodes concluded the Terra story arc, with Terra being an apprentice of Slade and fights against the Titans, before redeeming herself and sacrificing herself in the end. Plot Part 1 The episode opens with Slade instructing his deadly new apprentice, Terra. She confirms that she will serve him forever, that she has no doubts about her allegiance, and that she will destroy the Teen Titans. That day, the Titans are enjoying a drive through the city in the T-Car. Raven is busy ignoring Beast Boy, mainly in an attempt to get Raven to laugh, but she only turns the jokes back at him. Out of nowhere, something (which turns out to be a boulder) hits them full on from the side and the car is sent spinning down the street. They exit the car and see Terra standing before them wearing a metallic suit with Slade's insignia on the front. Terra starts her attack by unleashing a lightning-fast pummel of rocks. They dive out of the way as more rocks hit the T-Car, utterly totalling it. The Titans return the attack, albeit hesitantly. Terra thoroughly demonstrates her new powers with her close-combat skills and is an even match for all of the Titans. She even demonstrates the ability to produce monsters from the streets. When she is surprised at this, Slade informs her that her new suit serves as a neural link between them. Slade can now project his own movements and attacks through his new apprentice, making her all the more dangerous. At several points during the battle the Titans show reluctance to deal any damaging blows to their attacker. There is one instance in particular where Starfire hits Terra hard with her eye beams and immediately goes to her side ruefully. Terra just smiles and says that Starfire was always easy to fool before hitting her with a plume of brick. Ultimately, Robin calls for a retreat and the Titans leave the battle. Beast Boy stares sadly at Terra before following. Back at Titans Tower as they recover from the skirmish, they are quite frustrated by their inability to fight effectively and treat Terra like they would any other criminal. Beast Boy says Terra is not just another criminal. She was a Teen Titan and their friend. Cyborg and Raven say that Terra was never truly their friend and has always been pure evil. Beast Boy says that he knew her better than anyone and she may have some issues, but she isn't evil and they can't give up on her. Robin reminds him that Terra is working for Slade. Beast Boy replies, "When you were working for Slade, did we give up on you?" Robin decides that Terra gets one more chance. At that moment the alarm sounds. Terra has gone to the maximum security prison and freed Cinderblock, Plasmus, and Overload. She places control devices on all three so they are now under Slade's command. The Titans split up with Robin and Starfire going after Cinderblock, Beast Boy and Cyborg going after Plasmus and Raven taking Overload on her own. Raven quickly defeats Overload by blasting him with the water pipes, but just then Terra appears. She slowly gains the upper hand and taunts Raven to the point that she loses control of her anger and attacks her in the raging form not seen since Nevermore. However, she is still no match for Terra and is seemingly drowned in a pool of water. Robin and Starfire subsequently defeat Cinderblock, but no sooner have they done this than Terra ambushes them, sending Starfire plummeting off a cliff into the ocean, and leaving Terra to escape with Cinderblock in tow. Beast Boy and Cyborg are in the midst of fighting Plasmus when a big fault opens beneath them. Beast Boy holds onto the edge but Cyborg falls into the darkness. Terra evilly sneers at Beast Boy and closes the fault on him as he screams out her name. Later, Terra is searching for Robin when he surprises her. Robin has the advantage for most of the battle but he angers her when he tries to assuage her to his side again. Terra proclaims that she is not a sad helpless little girl and that she wanted to fight with Slade and annihilate him and his "pathetic friends". As she brings a rock down on top of him, the scene cuts directly to her presenting Slade with Robin's badge. Slade congratulates her and they prepare to conquer Jump City. Meanwhile, the Titans have reunited somewhere underground. They decide once and for all that Terra gets no more chances and no more mercy. She is just another criminal that has to be stopped...no matter what it takes. Part 2 Terra begins the episode by saying that she has done terrible things: having eliminated the Teen Titans, brought an entire city to it's knees, and concluding that she has no regret for it. She is patrolling the dusty, deserted city making sure it is clear of the Teen Titans and stationing swarms of Slade's robots everywhere when suddenly the Titans appear and ambush her. Terra tries to fight back but she is overwhelmed as they attack her viciously and unrelentingly from all sides. Left with no other option, Terra retreats to another part of the city. Slade berates her for fleeing and commands her to stay and fight. The Titans hone in on her location and resume the attack. Despite her best efforts, Terra is effortlessly defeated. She calls Slade for help and he sends Overload, Cinderblock and Plasmus to the scene, where they fuse into a gigantic hulking monster named Ternion. Terra runs back to Slade's hideout, thinking she is safe, but Slade begins to beat her savagely saying she has failed her mission. She realizes Slade does not care for her and tries to rip her suit off, but it is fused to her skin. She then tries to leave but the suit is fully integrated into her nervous system, giving Slade complete control over her actions. The Titans continue to fight Ternion and Slade's minions, and they eventually bring the monster down. Beast Boy slips away during the fight to go after Terra, unaware that the rest of his team is tracking him. He arrives in Slade's underground base and witnesses Terra being tortured. She begs him to kill her, saying "Isn't that what you came for?". Slade attacks Beast Boy through Terra, who has resigned herself to his control. Terra continues to plead with Beast Boy to destroy her, while he insists that she is strong enough to take control and that Slade has never had any hold over her. Beast Boy successfully dodges Terra's attacks until she catches him in a rockslide, trapping his foot and pinning him in place. Slade forces her to move in and finish him off. Beast Boy implores her to fight back, saying she can still do the right thing. Terra solemnly replies that it's too late. The other Titans arrive as she forms a pointed rock to finish him off. The Titans beg her not to do it and poise to attack her. Beast Boy tells her that it's never too late to change and Terra earnestly apologizes to Beast Boy for what she has done. Terra then turns on Slade, effortlessly driving him back. They fight one on one until Terra unleashes a vicious wave of earthly energy on Slade shouting out, "You can't control me anymore!" The attack sends Slade flying backwards into a pool of lava below, ending his rule over the city. Unfortunately, the power of Terra's attack awakens a volcano powerful enough to annihilate the entire city. Beast Boy approaches her and asks her to come with them and evacuate the city before the volcano erupts, but she says that she's the only one who can stop it. Beast Boy says it's too late, but Terra smiles and quotes him by saying "It's never too late." She puts her arms around him and they share one last loving embrace. She tearfully tells Beast Boy, "You were the best friend I ever had." She then pushes him away towards the exit on a rock. The Titans escape and Terra gives a scream as she absorbs all her power and stops the volcano, but in the process turns herself to stone. The next day, the Titans visit the site where she stands as a statue and put a plaque saying "Terra. A Teen Titan. A True Friend." They all vow to bring her back someday. Production "Aftershock" was originally written as the season one finale. Season one was originally going to have 26 episodes, however due to the first 13 episodes completed in time for the July 2003 premiere on Cartoon Network, the last 13 episodes were later aired as the second series. "Aftershock" began production on January 2004, right after Season 1 finished airing. Reception The episodes recieved mostly positive reviews from critics and fans. Differences from the comics